Philippe Constant Appointed Chief Scientific Advisor to the City of Mirabel

INRS professor specializing in microbiology and biotechnology to play key role at Carrefour d'innovation écoresponsable in Mirabel

LAVAL, QC, Sept. 23, 2024 /CNW/ - The City of Mirabel has announced the appointment of Professor Philippe Constant, researcher at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), as its Chief Scientific Advisor. This appointment is part of a wider announcement of funding for the City of Mirabel's "Signature innovation" project in anticipation of the future Carrefour d'innovation écoresponsable de Mirabel (CIÉM).

This project is the result of a collaboration agreement signed in 2021 between INRS, the City of Mirabel, and Mirabel économique, as well as several other local partners. The event was attended by Mirabel mayor Patrick Charbonneau and Sylvie D'Amours, MNA for Mirabel.

"The Carrefour d'innovation écoresponsable de Mirabel must be seen as a rallying point for collective intelligence. The idea is to bring skills together and share knowledge and innovation in promising fields for the area, such as soil health and water and waste management. The aim is to make the city of Mirabel a model of sustainable development," explains Philippe Constant, professor at INRS's Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie Research Centre and Chief Scientific Advisor to the City of Mirabel.

Professor Constant, who has long collaborated with the municipality and RCM of Mirabel, will contribute his expertise in microbiology and his network of local partners. Professor Constant's appointment was applauded by Quebec's Chief Scientist, Rémi Quirion. The Mirabel native is now the seventh chief scientific advisor of a Quebec municipality.

"Philippe Constant will be able to draw on his personal knowledge of Mirabel to provide scientific guidance that is perfectly tailored to the area. That is an invaluable asset. He will also be able to count on the other municipal scientific advisors in Québec for support, and on my office to build relationships with science committees around the world through INGSA—the International Network for Governmental Science Advice—which I am fortunate enough to lead as its president," says Rémi Quirion, Chief Scientist of Québec.

"The appointment of Professor Philippe Constant as Chief Scientific Advisor to the City of Mirabel re-emphasizes the importance of making science central to municipal decision-making for the benefit of society. This aligns with INRS's mission to play an active role in Quebec's economic, social, and cultural development through all of our scientific activities. Our research and education institution is delighted to have the City of Mirabel as a partner in innovation for a more sustainable future," adds Isabelle Delisle, Interim Scientific Director at INRS.

The CIÉM will specialize in the key fields of agriculture, environment, water management, energy, and waste treatment and optimization. It will be dedicated to research, knowledge transfer, and the development of new, high-value-added bioproducts. Its mission is to put scientific research at the forefront of socioeconomic development while employing its skills for the benefit of the regional ecosystem to take on current and future environmental challenges.

"The idea behind the Carrefour is also to promote the research taking place at INRS, while responding to the issues and needs of the City of Mirabel," concludes Professor Constant.

The main mission of CSAs is to incorporate the scientific approach into cities' decision-making processes. They help to instill a scientific culture in the city's ecosystem while fostering innovation and the adoption of sustainable practices. This also allows them to suggest, at their discretion, themes or initiatives they feel should be explored for the benefit of elected officials, citizens, and businesses alike. A CSA's biggest asset is their network, which allows them to bring together researchers from Quebec and abroad to address the issues identified in the field.

INRS is an academic institution dedicated exclusively to graduate research and training in strategic sectors in Quebec. For the past 55 years, it has actively contributed to Quebec's economic, social, and cultural development. INRS is first in Canada in research intensity. It is made up of four interdisciplinary research and training centres located in Quebec City, Montreal, Laval, and Varennes, which focus their efforts on strategic sectors: water, earth, and environment (Eau Terre Environnement Research Centre); energy, materials, and telecommunications (Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications Research Centre); urbanization, culture, and society (Urbanisation Culture Société Research Centre); and health and biotechnology (Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie Research Centre). The INRS community includes over 1,500 students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty and staff members. 

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